The Warlock Manifest
by sakurabaz00x
Summary: After a powerful book is stolen from the Department of Mysteries, Auror Harry Potter is called upon to recover it. Along the way he discovers a grand conspiracy threatening to change the lives of muggles and wizards alike.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Harry entered the Minister of Magic's office. It was just after midnight when Kingsley Shacklebolt sent him an owl bidding him to come to his office urgently. Luckily it didn't wake Ginny up and he was able to leave without her knowledge. Hopefully he could return home just before they all woke up.

The last few weeks had caused a terrible strain in the Potter family. Recent Necromancer activity had caused the auror office to work double time and practically halved the pitifully low amount of time Harry already spent with his family. He would have to take a vacation in the future.

"Minister. You wanted to see me?"

Kingsley was going through hundreds of files on his desk when Harry came in. Harry could see the stress Kingsley was in and took pity on the man who would threaten to take his family time from him.

"You need help with that Minister?"

Kingsley looked up and motioned for Harry to sit down. "No I'm fine Harry." He waved his hand and the files all arranged itself into three perfectly neat piles. "I'm glad you were able to come Harry. I am... terribly sorry about the lateness of the hour."

Harry shook his head "Don't worry about it Minister. As long as I get home in time for breakfast I won't get into too much trouble with Ginny and the kids. Hehe."

Kingsley smiled at this and stood up. "How many times do I have to tell you Harry. Haven't we known each other long enough to refer to the other by their first name. Call me Kingsley Harry."

"Ok. Kinglsey. Boss. What happened this late at night to make you call me?"

Kingsley magically moved one of the piles of paper closer to Harry. "Check out those files over there. The first one is a real piece of work." He opened a cabinet behind his desk. "Did you want a drink Harry? Firewhiskey? Butterbeer?"

Harry took the first piece of paper on top of the pile and started to read it. "Firewhiskey Kingsley. I think I'll need something a bit strong to get me through tonight."

_Dear Minister of Magic _

_Maybe you already know. Maybe you don't. Today at 20:00 someone stole a very important artifact from the Hall of Mysteries. Maybe you know what it is. What it is capable of. Who made it. I assure you that I know all of these things for I am the son of one of the creators. Now I take what is mine. And unless you do as I say bad things will happen to innocent people both muggles and magic-folk. _

_We want you to abolish the International statute of Secrecy. That is our one demand. Failure to follow this will result in swift reprisal. You shall understand the power I wield, the power my organisation yields. _

_Truly yours_

_Creed Fouling Us_

Harry had just about finished his second glass of Firewhiskey by the time he had finished reading this ransom demand. He was wondering if the Firewhiskey had affected him more than usual. The statute of Secrecy? Surely no wizard would want to abolish that. The law that ensured that the magical world would be kept secret. "Who wrote this. Who is Creed fouling us?"

"An anagram most likely. I'm not having my men decipher it just yet. I'm trying to keep this whole thing quiet."

"Uh-huh. And what's this device that was taken?"

Kingsley tensed at this and checked to see that the windows were locked. He cast a locking spell on the door and took out his wand. "Harry I need you to promise me something. No. I need you to do something very important for me. I need you to do the unbreakable vow for me."

Harry looked up at the man telling him to take an oath that promised death to those who failed to uphold it. This was getting more and more absurd. "Why Kingsley? What secret device was taken from the department of mysteries?"

Kingsley stared into Harry's eyes as if trying to determine if he could trust him. Harry stood up to lock eyes with Kingsley.

"Kingsley. We've known each other for too long. With all that history between us you still can't trust me? I have nothing at stake here Kingsley. I can't help you if you're not going to give me your confidence."

Kingsley pondered Harry's words for a few moments before sitting down again. "You're right Harry. If I can't trust you I can't trust anyone.". He summoned one of the papers in the middle of the pile in front of Harry and gave it to him. "This. This is the device that he was talking about."

Harry delved into the contents of the paper in front of him.

_The Warlock Manifesto_

_A manifest of magical devices that the secret organisation known as The Warlocks created at the turn of the 19th century._

_The book itself is written so as to confuse an undesirable reader. It is not in English, rather a kind of Ancient Alphabet though no living scholar has been able to decipher it. _

_The Warlocks themselves are thought to have perished when their base, a floating island above Britain, suddenly disappeared one day. It is unknown where they are right now or if there are any living members to this day._

_Through pictures and symbols in the book it is thought that there were more than 7 Warlock devices, although these are all hypotheses and nothing more._

_Day to day study of the manifest is being conducted in the Department of Mysteries. The hope is that the code is cracked someday, but that day that does not seem to be on the horizon anytime soon._

_Head of the Department of Mysteries_

" Warlocks."

"Yes Harry, Warlocks."

"So they really are real."

"That is a probability. Just as the possibility of them still existing today."

"But the letter. The ransom. He said he was the son of one of them."

"Creed Fouling Us. Do you know who that is now?" Kingsley took his wand out and wrote the name in the air, much like the ghost of Tom Riddle did in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago.

"I..." The letters proceeded to scramble across each other as if in a rush to reveal their true positions.

"Cornelius Fudge?" Harry was dumbstruck. The former minister of magic? Why would he want to abolish the statute of Secrecy.

"Fudge..."Kingsley reiterated. Kingsley took out a scroll and started writing on it. "I'm giving you a mission Harry. Top secret. No one must know. We have a deadline here. One day."

Harry tried to go for another drink but his glass was empty now. He didn't remember how many drinks he already had. He didn't feel giddy. It felt good with the world, to drink and to feel as though nothing was wrong.

"What do I have to do?" Harry asked Kingsley.

Kingsley finished writing and gave the scroll to Harry.

_For your Eyes only H.P._

_A very important item from the Department of Mysteries has been stolen and is being used as a hostage for a secret organisation. The only lead we have right now is that Cornelius Fudge was the name anagrammed in the ransom letter._

_Your mission is to recover the Warlock Manifest and take care of whoever gets in your way._

_You are authorised to use the unforgivable curses if you deem it is needed._

_Merlin Guide you_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

"Does this mean I won't get home in time for breakfast."

"I don't think you'd get home in time for dinner. I'm very sorry Harry. But you're our best agent. This is important.

"I understand Kingsley." Harry stood up and went over to the door.

"Good luck Harry."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: 99 uses for vanilla fudge.

Based on the clues he currently had, that Fudge apparently authored the ransom note, Harry's only move was to investigate Cornelius Fudge. It was just after 1 am but Harry didn't feel sleepy at all. His mind was burning with the questions that he had. Who were the Warlocks? What did the Warlock manifest contain? What did Fudge have to do with the note? All these questions and with a 24 hour deadline to abandon the statute of secrecy and reveal to the muggle world that yes, there are people who have the ability to use magic and they could be living right next to you.

The former Minister of Magic lived in a house in Hogsmeade. One might think a man of his stature would live in luxury and you would be right. He did live in luxury during his tenure and for a short time after it. It was only after he was tried for corruption that the Wizengamot took away objects that he had obtained through nefarious means. He moved to Hogsmeade after that and had practically lived in anonymity ever since.

Harry disapparated into Hogsmeade with a loud crack and took out his invisibility cloak just as he had done with Ron and Hermione a long time ago, just before the Battle of Hogwarts. It wouldn't do good to wake people up and have them check outside to see an auror, the famous Harry Potter no less, outside their family homes.

Harry wasn't an ordinary auror. Whereas most aurors dealt with paperwork or worked pointless leads all day long Harry answered directly to the Minister of Magic who would give him top secret missions. Harry's very first assignment was to take a Neo-Death Eater leader into custody in secrecy. Harry did this by sneaking among them using a chameleon spell in order to avoid being seen. He then used petrificus totalus on the target and apparated with him. Harry was the best at his job. He could do the hardest of jobs in total secrecy and there were usually no dead bodies. The one time he didn't succeed in going through a mission without killing someone was when he apparated next to a disgraced politician atop a cliff planning to kill himself. At least he got his wish Harry thought.

Harry waited a few minutes before moving. He got about a 100 feet from Fudge's house before noticing that the lights were on. What could he be doing up at a time like this? Harry walked slowly, invisibility cloak over him when suddenly the gate opened and a skeleton popped out.

"What the hell?" Harry said taking out his wand. The skeleton started to move and got up surveying its surroundings. A whole skeleton of the human body, alive in all its undead glory smack bang in the middle of Hogsmeade. The skeleton walked away from the house followed by a hooded figure. Harry couldn't see who it was but he thought he saw the sliver of a hooked nose, a relatively large curved nose. "Snape?" Harry said but he quickly attributed this to wishful thinking. Snape was dead, killed by Voldemort, a result of a misunderstanding.

The hooded figure walked to the middle of the street and let his hood down. Harry was shocked.

"Snape..."

Snape took out his wand and performed a number of complex waves. It was as if he was dancing, a kind of magical ballet. Flanked by the skeleton next to him a portal appeared next to Snape. Snape put his hood back on and entered the portal along with the skeleton.

Harry was dumbstruck by what happened. Portals weren't real. There were portkeys, floo networks, and even apparition but everyone knew that the portal, a magical doorway that could connect two places, separated by space or even time, was a myth from old children stories and perpetuated by research from the likes of Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.

Harry started to move again, determined to continue the mission. Snape had just left Fudge's house the same Fudge who was the only link to the ransom note. Things were getting fishy and Harry had to find the Warlock manifest fast.

Harry went to the gate and took off the cloak. He cast a chameleon spell on himself and tried to open the door. It was locked. "Alohomora " Harry said and the gates opened. The lights were off now and Harry was hoping Fudge would be asleep so he could search around in peace. If only it were that easy.


End file.
